Sanitary drinking-cup.



W. 1. PAUL. SANITARY DRINKING CUP. APPLICATION men mm. 20. 1913.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. PAUL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO L. W. REED, OF

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

SANITARY DRINKING-CUP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2'7, 1915.

Application filed March 20, 1913. Serial N 0. 755,746.

livery from vending machines or other mechanlcally delivering devices and to be afterward expanded into cup form for drinking purposes, and my invention has for its objects to provide a cup of this kind which will be readily expanded by pressure on its side edges without the necessity of inserting the fingers into the mouth of the cup, will protect the edge of the cup from contact with the hands in takin it from the vending machine or other delivery device, will be par-' ticularly adapted to be handled by the delivery mechanism without danger of catching and will be free from insanitary folds,

edges and pockets.

With these and other objects hereinafter explained in view my invention consists in the cup herein described and shown and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, the figure shown is a perspective view of a cup embodying my invention shown partly expanded.

In the drawings A indicates a strip of sheet material, referably waterproofed paper, having a f i-ont and a back portion folded at CC to lie one against the other.

the fold forming the bottom of the cup.-

The front and back portions are each broader at their top or free edges than at the fold C-C, so that when flat the cup has a keystone shape. The top edge a" a" of the front portion is cut parallel wlth the fold CC and is the edge from which the user drinks. The top edge of the back portion has an extension B, which extends from edge to edge, having its greatest width about midway between the points a" a'. \Vhen the cup is in flat or collapsed condi- .tion this extension or flap B folds over the top edge of the front portion and protects it from contact with the fingers in withdrawing the folded cup from the delivery mechamsm. I

The front and back portions are secured together along their side edges so as to form a water-tight cup, and a crease is formed along the meeting side edges. The front and back portions are creased or scored along parallel lines d on the front portion, the scorings extending from points C to points a, and the back portion is correspondingly scored, the scorings in the back portion extending across the extension or flap B to the points f.

When the cup is in folded or collapsed position there will be three thicknesses of material along and near the upper edges, consisting of the back portion, the front portion and the extension or flap B, these three thicknesses extending across the scorings and stiffening the cup on the lines of these scorings so that it will lie fiat in the delivery mechanism and will present a folded edge through which the cups are usually delivered. After the cup has been 'withdrawn from the delivery device inward pressure on the side edges near the upper edge will cause the extension or flap B to fly up and will cause the front and back portions to bend along the scorings d so that the cup will assume a somewhat circular shape at its upper end and be suitable for use as a drinking cup.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is:

A collapsible drinking cup formed from a single piece of water-proof material folded on a line at right angles to its greatest len h to form a front portion and a back portion each of keystone shape, secured together along their longitudinal ed es, the back portion being provided at its ree edgewith a flap adapted to fold over and protect the upper edge of the front portion, said front and back portions being each provided with scores extending from top to bottom near their edges, the scores of the back portion extending through the flap, said scores being on parallel lines, the scores on the front and back portions being in line with each other and being so formed that when pressure is applied on the side edges, the front and back portions will separate.

WILLIAM J. PAUL. Witnesses:

E. Y. BRECK, ALEX. Canon. 

